Seems like once you get designer Azzedine Alaia talking, he won't stop...which is not to say we're not enjoying it. Earlier this week, he revealed that Dior offered him the top spot at the fashion house after John Galliano's dismissal and he previously decried the industry's pressures, calling the deadlines "inhumane."
And now making the rounds: an interview from Virgine in which he bashes both Karl Lagerfeld and Anna Wintour. Two for one!

How do you feel about Karl Lagerfeld? I don’t like his fashion, his spirit, his attitude. It’s too much caricature. Karl Lagerfeld never touched a pair of scissors in his life. That doesn’t mean that he’s not great, but he’s part of another system. He has capacity. One day he does photography, the next he does advertisements for Coca-Cola. I would rather die than see my face in a car advertisement. We don’t do the same work. And I think that he is not doing a favor to young stylists who might think it works that way. They’re going to fall before they retire.You have some problems with Anna Wintour?
I said it before. She runs the business (Vogue) very well, but not the fashion part. When I see how she is dressed, I don’t believe in her tastes one second. I can say it loudly! She hasn’t photographed my work in years even if I am a best seller in the U.S. and I have 140 square meters at Barneys. American women love me; I don’t need her support at all. Anna Wintour doesn’t deal with pictures; she is just doing PR and business, and she scares everybody. But when she sees me, she is the scared one. [Laughs.] Other people think like me, but don’t say it because they are afraid that Vogue won’t photograph them. Anyway, who will remember Anna Wintour in the history of fashion? No one. Take Diana Vreeland, she is remembered because she was so chic. What she did with the magazine was great, with Avedon and all the great photographers. Vogueremains while its fashion editors come and go.

Harsh, but the part about Anna Wintour is kinda true, the business vs fashion thing. Doesn't look like he knows Lagerfeld though, seems more like Alaia trashes him because Chanel sells at least 10x better than Alaia and with less effort. He would collapse under the pressure of a house like Dior or Chanel and knows it too well, little sour grapes.

To be fair though, the general American publications aren't really keen on Alaia (except for those bitsy features once in a while) so I don't get why he talks like Vogue is the only magazine that doesn't "support" him.

^hmmm this is interesting. The Karl Lagerfeld one is really a kick in the A**
while he may be right about his work spirit, i think nowadays you have to spread yourself (while Kalr may do it a lot more than most) you cant be just a one note anymore. There is always someone willing to take your place. Alaia is old-fashioned and I respect that. In today's world though you cant rest on one aspect.

while his point about karl remains well-taken, he's really pointing out his own limitations and the limitations of most designers. karl lagerfeld remains a near genius because he can dabble in so many things and still pull it off quite spectacularly. in a year, azzedine may put out forty or fifty truly mind-blowing dresses and karl may put out forty or fifty mind-blowing dresses, but the difference remains that karl has also put out three books, sixteen collections, opened a couple of stores, released some new fragrances and beauty products, thrown six great parties, decorated a new home, photographed for several magazines, and probably earned tens upon tens of millions of dollars (in one year) while making those forty to fifty great dresses. so, yes, true, for a young designer, focus on making the forty to fifty great dresses because not everyone can be karl. and that's why karl is karl.

unfortunately, his criticism of anna wintour may show his age a bit. anna wintour will get venerated in very much the same sense as diana vreeland once did. the stories about her REMAIN legend and while he may not LIKE the point of view of american vogue (as so many don't), there's no denying that it HAS ONE.

He is so wrong about Anna Wintour. She is fashion. She has her hands in every part of fashion and that's what she will ultimately be remembered for.

She will only be remembered as a b*tch - a person so mean that en entire movie was dedicated to her being insufferable and rude.

Karl's work is superficial. There is no substance. There doesn't have to be, because it's Chanel...right? The only thing I like about Chanel is their make up, thankfully Uncle Karl has nothing to do with it

My aunt interviewed him once. He was supposed to be somewhere else, but he gave her the interview while 30 people where waiting for him. He sure loves hearing himself talk He should do stand-up instead of fashion

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